Whirlwind
by calypsopotter18
Summary: Haleigh Potter, 20 years old, engaged to Percy Weasley, has one child. For a girl who works at Hogwarts, it seems pretty normal. But in her brother's seventh year, her life is about to take a whirlwind turn when she is kidnapped at Bill and Fleur's wedding. Rated T for language and violence Sort of a continuation of my story "Out On My Own" but not really.


"I don't know if we can keep doing this Percy. Emma is only three years old. We can't have your mother raise her completely. She should grow up with her parents." I remarked one day while putting dishes away in the cabinet. I glanced into the next room where Emma was mesmerized by the small television that rested on a round table in the corner. She grinned at me when she caught my stare.

"Well, we can't just quit our jobs. You're at Hogwarts, love. And I'm at the Ministry. Emma loves my mother. And she sees us whenever she can. We're busy. It happens." Percy replied, sliding mugs into the cupboard next to me.

"The Ministry is corrupt. You could quit now and save yourself a background check and an inquiry." I suggested, crossing my arms.

"It hasn't been taken over yet. Scrimgeour is still around, therefore, I am too. I can't just quit, Haleigh." I groaned. Then I decided to change the subject. Talking about our daughter's poor upbringing was one of our most depressing problems.

"We were invited to Bill's wedding. It's tomorrow. I'm going and bringing Emma. Are you going to come?" He shook his head. I didn't need a reason why. Percy was that estranged family member that no one talks to or about unless they're calling him a prat. "Well, soon it'll be us. Once the war is over, and I'm done saving Harry's ass with the Order this year, we can finally get married." He smiled weakly. I dropped my towel on the kitchen counter and walked into the small living room of our shoebox apartment.

"Hi Mommy!" Emma screeched excitedly. I refrained from pressing my hands over my sensitive ears and smiled at her, greeting her back. Her hand continued scribbling on a piece of paper with a pink crayon while she began to talk my ear off about her day with Grandma Weasley from a few days ago. It was a story I'd heard several times, but I didn't mind. It gave me a little time to think.

I couldn't force Percy to go to the wedding, but I could at least suggest that he show up for five minutes. That was it with that.

Hogwarts was my main issue. How could I go back? I would be a Potter surrounded by deatheaters. It wouldn't go well. Snape was headmaster. He had many issues with me due to the fact that I was a Potter. Not that I can choose my gene pool, but not being related to Harry could have helped me a lot in life. Going to Hogwarts was my best bet to keep us on our feet. Dumbledore had known I needed a decent pay in order to support Harry and myself, but now I had to support a family, and Dumbledore was gone. The thought brought a tear to my eye, but I brushed it away quickly. I had to go back. It would be absolute torture, but it was worth it to keep Emma alive and well.

Then I had to figure out whether or not to tell Emma what was going on in the Wizarding World. She might not understand, but at least she would know why I died if I did. Because I probably would at this point. If I told her, and she understood even a sentence of it, she'd be terrified until it was over. But if I didn't tell her, and something happened to me or Percy or even her, she'd be even more scared and confused. I couldn't tell her yet. She was so young and innocent. I couldn't wreck her innocence at the tender age of three. Mine was obliterated at age four when my parents were murdered. I couldn't bear to tell Emma something that could mess her up the way I'd been for years until I got to Hogwarts.

I leaned back into the old, ripped couch cushions and ran a hand through my tangled dark brown hair. Stress had begun to take its toll. I was always tired. My body ached constantly. Bags had begun developing under my slightly bloodshot, green eyes. But that was the price I paid for being a working mom. Hogwarts, the Order of the Phoenix, Emma, and the war were weighing down on my shoulders. I felt like Atlas holding up the sky. Emma continued her scribbling, attempting to make what looked a little bit like a flower. She made me so happy, but so worried at the same time. Percy sauntered into the room and smiled at our daughter. Then he smiled at me. My face formed a weak upturn at the corners of my lips. We'd made it this far. We could keep it going. Right?

…**..**

At around three in the afternoon, I looked at myself up and down in the full length mirror strapped to our closet door. _Not too bad _I thought to myself. My light blue, floor length dress fit me almost perfectly. I wobbled a little bit in the heels I was wearing, but I could steady myself with little effort. The last place I wanted to go was this wedding. Happiness and frivolity were the least of my priorities. But I'd told Mrs. Weasley I was coming for the reception so, in the words of the twins, I'd, "better damn well be there." I swayed unintentionally down the hall to Emma's room. These heels would be the death of me if Voldemort wasn't. I knocked on her door and she began trying to pull it open. I waved her aside politely and opened it for her. My little girl looked beautiful. Her dress was bright pink, picked out by Emma herself. Her shoes were covered with silver sequins that were blinding when the light hit them. And to pull it all together, she'd found a purse of mine from the Yule Ball when I was in my seventh year.

"Where'd you find that silly girl?" I questioned teasingly, looking at her with mock curiosity.

"Daddy gave it to me, remember?" Well, no, I didn't but oh well. Everyone forgets things. I smiled at her and nodded.

"Are you ready to go sweetie?" She nodded. We walked out of the little one floor apartment and out on to the street. I took Emma into an alleyway so we could apparate. She'd experienced the feeling of side-along apparition before, but it always made her nauseous. I held her tight against my chest and told her to think about Grandma Weasley's house. She smiled with her eyes shut tight. We spun through space until we reached the hill above their house. They were only letting people apparate up there so that deatheaters wouldn't be able to get right in if they decided to wreck the party. In the distance, I saw Ron and some boy I didn't recognize coming towards me. I held on to Emma and walked towards them.

"Hey Ron. Who's this?"

"It's me, Harry. Polyjuice potion. They had the overwhelming urge to disguise me so that no one would try and kill me." The red-headed boy responded. I blinked then looked at Ron. He nodded, meaning this was legitimate.

"Mommy, who's that?" Emma asked, pulling at my skirt and pointing at Harry.

"That's still Uncle Harry, but he's in disguise. You can't tell anyone that's him okay?" She nodded, and then skipped along past me, spotting someone near the tent who she wanted to see. The boys and I walked won the hill. I almost fell about twenty times, but I survived. "Happy birthday, by the way." I mentioned to Harry, slipping him an envelope, "it's not much, but it's a little something. Your seventeenth is important." He thanked me and we talked until Mrs. Weasley pulled me aside with a yank of my arm.

"Haleigh dear, I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it! Did Percy come?" I shook my head, "Oh well, I figured he wouldn't anyway. Come dear, you must see Bill and Fleur. Did you see Harry? Is Emma here?" I answered each question with a decent response as I was pulled from guest to guest, being introduced to everyone we passed. Names went in one ear and out the other. I smiled and listened to Mrs. Weasley.

A few hours later, once I was pretty sure I'd met everyone, I went to find Emma again. She was with Hermione which was typical.

"Hey Hermione. Hey Em." I said as I walked over to the girls. Emma smiled up at me as did Hermione. I was about to ask Hermione a school question when a patronus appeared in the middle of the dance floor, scaring everyone out of their shoes.

"The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming." Kingsley's voice echoed through the cavernous tent. Fear gripped my throat. Percy was with the Minister. Was he dead too? Before I could even react, cracks of apparition sounded around us. Deatheaters appeared everywhere, casting spell after spell. Screaming began from all corners of the area. Different colored lights shown from wands. People were running, tripping, and even crawling all over the place. I took out my wand and began firing random counter curses. I heard someone scream, "There's Potter! He wants her alive!" Why did they want me? Why was I useful to Voldemort? I continued firing defensive spells until I saw three deatheaters running towards me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mrs. Weasley.

"MOLLY! TAKE EMMA!" I screamed, lobbing my daughter into the air. Mrs. Weasley turned around just in time to catch her. I shot curses after the deatheaters, but they dodged the beams of light that shot from my wand. They knocked me down to the ground with the sheer force of their bodies. The air was knocked out of me as I hit the ground. My arms were pulled practically out of their sockets as I was dragged out of the tent. The sensation of apparition made me nauseous for the first time since I was sixteen. Before I passed out, I caught sight of Malfoy Manor. Why did they bring me here?


End file.
